Two PETA Employees Face Cruelty Charges
Police in Ahoskie, N.C., in June charged two employees of People
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Norfolk, Va.) with multiple
felony counts of animal cruelty, according to published news
reports.
Virginia residents Andrew Cook, 24, of Virginia Beach and
Adria Hinkle, 27, of Norfolk were charged with 31 felony counts
of animal cruelty, eight misdemeanor counts of illegaly disposing
of dead animals and misdemeanor tresspassing charges after
police caught them throwing bags into a Dumpster at a shopping
center in Ahoskie. The bags contained the bodies of 18 dogs
and cats. The police also found 13 other dead animals in a
van registered to PETA.
According to local animal-control authorities, the animals
were alive when Cook and Hinkle picked them up earlier that
same day, allegedly to take them to PETA headquarters for
adoption.
According to a statement by Ingrid Newkirk, president of
PETA, the North Carolina animals were picked up for euthanasia,
as are most of the animals PETA picks up from shelters in
North Carolina. She said it is PETA’s policy to euthanize
and cremate animals at its headquarters, not to dump their
bodies.
Cook and Hinkle were arrested after a month-long investigation.
Each felony charge carries a maximum of 15 months in jail;
each misdemeanor, 60 days in jail. [September 2005 PET AGE]
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